SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australian retail sales fell 4% in August from the month earlier, official data showed on Friday, with the virus-stricken state of Victoria bearing the brunt of the downturn.
The result follows gains of 3.2% and 2.7% in July and June respectively, according to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Victoria suffered a 12.6% drop as a strict lockdown saw many businesses shut their doors to customers. There were also declines in most other states.
Annual growth was still solid with sales up 7.1% compared to August 2019.
(Reporting by Swati Pandey; Editing by Tom Hogue)
